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Half a century ago, Belgian Zoologist Bernard Heuvelmans first codified cryptozoology in his book On the Track of Unknown Animals.

The Centre for Fortean Zoology (CFZ) are still on the track, and have been since 1992. But as if chasing unknown animals wasn't enough, we are involved in education, conservation, and good old-fashioned natural history! We already have three journals, the largest cryptozoological publishing house in the world, CFZtv, and the largest cryptozoological conference in the English-speaking world, but in January 2009 someone suggested that we started a daily online magazine! The CFZ bloggo is a collaborative effort by a coalition of members, friends, and supporters of the CFZ, and covers all the subjects with which we deal, with a smattering of music, high strangeness and surreal humour to make up the mix.

It is edited by CFZ Director Jon Downes, and subbed by the lovely Lizzy Bitakara'mire (formerly Clancy), scourge of improper syntax. The daily newsblog is edited by Corinna Downes, head administratrix of the CFZ, and the indexing is done by Lee Canty and Kathy Imbriani. There is regular news from the CFZ Mystery Cat study group, and regular fortean bird news from 'The Watcher of the Skies'. Regular bloggers include Dr Karl Shuker, Dale Drinnon, Richard Muirhead and Richard Freeman.The CFZ bloggo is updated daily, and there's nothing quite like it anywhere else. Come and join us...

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Tuesday, June 01, 2010

ANDREAS TROTTMANN: A week at Loch Morar

Dear Colleagues,

From May 3rd till May 12th, 2010 I continued my researches at unique Loch Morar. I stayed at a most cosy B&B at Bracara, enjoying an excellent view over a substantial portion of the water.

Besides my limited researches at the loch, I went to the Isle of Eigg and up Loch Nevis to secluded Knoydart. Douglas Macfarlane kindly visited me and stayed for one night. We spent a few perfect hours boating on Loch Morar and undertook some hydrophone trials.

I came across several sighting reports unknown to me and had the chance to speak several times to one very objective witness, Alistair MacKellaig, in particular.· On August 18th, 1990 he had – together with a friend and one of his sons – a sighting of three humps overtaking slowly his boat. It occurred in the early afternoon between Swordland and Meoble near the deepest part of the loch. Each hump was the size of a lorry tyre and 2 to 2.5 feet above the surface, colour slightly darker than the water. Overall size between 6 to 7 metres. The three humps submerged simultaneously. Water calm.· Also the father of my landlady reported having observed a large spout – similar to one from a whale – in the loch.· One Sunday morning in the 1970s the whole congregation standing outside the church after mass, observed the creature in the loch – unfortunately no further details on this report.

Herewith some more data on the sighting of Donald Simpson of November 27th, 1975. Unfortunately he died a few years ago. Nevertheless I managed to get hold of a sketch of the creature observed in the outflow of the loch into the river Morar. The details are: A powerful, 20 foot long animal which roused out of the river less than 40 feet from the car his brother was driving. It lurched across a gravel bar and sank into the deeper waters of the loch. The episode lasted only a few seconds. Smooth, brown skin and powerful muscles in the hindquarters. No ears or eyes were seen but a thing that looked like a trunk trailing alongside the body. The creature turned on the spot like a huge crocodile.

Some locals are highly reluctant to speak about their knowledge and the observations made. One local woman in particular refuses categorically to speak on her experience, as the sighting has probably triggered a traumatic effect. I only know that she observed – standing on a small jetty (presumably the one near Morar Lodge) – a “horrific black thing” in the water. As you are aware, similar reactions were reported from Loch Ness.

Having now gained some better knowledge of the loch and its particularities, I would be most interested to organize a party of zoological and cryptozoological experts and well-trained observers for a one-week expedition to the loch. Further details will follow.

With my best wishes from Switzerland (still extremely fresh for the season).Andreas

1 comment:

I shall be most interested in seeing the sketch, especially since you did not indicate whether the creature had a long neck or a short one. The spouting effect is interesting also and is not usually associated with "Monsters" in either Loch Ness or Loch Morar-I would suspect it was a small waterspout.

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